Segments in this Video

Bullets on the Border: Introduction(00:59)

Cristobal Galindo disagrees with how border patrol agents treat Mexicans and Americans, and works to change policies.

Juarez/El Paso Border(07:07)

June 7, 2010 footage shows an agent involved shooting at the border. Jesus Hernandez remembers his son. Ex-Deputy Attorney General Alejandro Pariente discusses Sergio's death and warrant request for Agent Jesus Mesa Jr. Galindo wants to change the law regarding the ability to sue.

Wake for Sergio Guereca(04:08)

Family and loved ones gather to remember the 15-year-old who was killed at the border. Hernandez wants justice for his son and believes the investigation is taking too long. Bobbie Jean McDow discusses witnessing the shooting from the international bridge.

Border Laws(08:17)

Charlie Minn questions whether Hernandez was playing "chicken" at the border, why Agent Mesa was alone, and why help was not administered after the shooting. D.A. Randolph Ortega does not believe Mesa should be tried in Mexico. Experts discuss rock throwing and self-defense.

Contradictory Claims(04:00)

Minn, Galindo, and Ortega discuss claims about the timing of the rock throwing, Guereca's involvement, and video footage. McDow states that Guereca never made aggressive movements toward Mesa.

Agent Behaviors and Smuggling(07:08)

McDow recalls security guards telling people to leave, calling 911, and the arrival of custom border patrol agents. Minn and Galindo discuss government actions after the shooting; Hernandez remembers his son. Ortega and Galindo disagree on whether Guereca was a human smuggler.

Government Response(04:07)

Galindo is not happy with American response and expected more from Mexico; seven years on, there is no resolution. Hernandez says Mexico has done nothing for him and his family and it is psychological torture.

Right to Sue?(05:50)

Ortega says Guereca's death was a tragedy but Agent Mesa's actions were justified; Galindo does not believe there was a proper investigation. The U.S. Supreme Court sent the case to the 5th circuit court of appeals in 2017. Hernandez and Galindo share words for Mesa.

Nogales, AZ/Nogales, MX Border(04:38)

On October 10, 2012, Border Patrol Agent Lonnie Swartz kills 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez. His mother recalls learning of his death and actions the night he died. In 2017, protestors march the streets.

Border Shooting(07:19)

Attorney Luis Parra discusses events the night Rodriguez died. Araceli Rodriguez Salazar remembers her son and discusses claims he was throwing rocks. Protestors visit the site of Rodriguez's death on the five year anniversary. Mayor Cuahtemoc Galindo discusses justice for killings at the border.

Border Activism(05:23)

Salazar says her son's death was premeditated murder with advantage. Parra discusses alleged activities the night Rodriguez was killed. Activists protest on the five year anniversary of Rodriguez's death.

Prosecuting Swartz(04:50)

Agent Swartz is charged with second degree murder; the trial is postponed several times. In June 2017, a partial video of the shooting is released. Hear witness statements.

Cross-Border Criminal Prosecution(05:34)

In July 2017, prosecutors concede that Rodriguez was throwing rocks. Parra discusses trial delays. Salazar reflects on justice and life since the death of her son; the Rodriguez family's civil lawsuit is in the U.S. 9th circuit court of appeals.

Tijuana/San Ysidro Border(08:02)

A Mexican cartel hires 16-year-old Cruz Marcelino Velazquez Acevedo to smuggle liquid meth. Border agents tell Acevedo to drink the liquid; he dies of an overdose. Agents receive no reprimand and the U.S. government pays $1 million to settle a lawsuit.

Border Dangers(02:25)

Border Patrol Council Member Stuart Harris discusses the use of juveniles for smuggling, assaults against agents, and the lack of knowledge regarding border activities. Galindo wants to change policy; Ortega reflects on agent actions.

Bullets on the Border

Description

Acclaimed director, Charlie Minn, closely examines three separate killings along the USA-Mexico border. Minn visits the border in Tijuana, Nogales, and Juarez to shed light on a larger picture of historic violence between Mexican nationals and US border officers, a notoriously divisive issue. The film explores the policies and procedures governing the use of force by American border agents.